Podcast Summary: Two Girls One Ghost x Crimes Of... – Episode 348: The Hex Hollow Murder

Podcast: Two Girls One Ghost
Hosts: Corinne Vien & Sabrina Deana-Roga
Release Date: November 16, 2025

Overview

In this special “collab” episode, Corinne and Sabrina—hosts of both Two Girls One Ghost and Crimes Of…—unpack the chilling story of the Hex Hollow murder, a tragic and supernatural-tinged true crime that took place in York County, Pennsylvania in 1928. This case blurs the lines between folk magic, community superstition, and deadly paranoia, culminating in the brutal murder of local healer Nelson Rehmeyer. The episode explores themes of fear, belief, mental health, and how superstition can motivate horrifying acts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Podcast Crossover & Season Theme

• Corinne and Sabrina introduce their spin-off podcast, Crimes Of…, and explain the current season’s focus: “Crimes of the Paranormal,” where true crime and supernatural tales blend.
  • “The Hex Hollow Murders is wild. It's a tragic and spooky story that inspired an urban legend.” – Sabrina (03:27)

2. Would You Rather: A Grim Preview

• The hosts play a darkly themed game to set the mood:
  • “Would you rather live your whole life convinced that you've been cursed? Or would you rather spend the night inside a haunted house, knowing that the ground beneath you might open up and just drag you to hell?” – Corinne (04:47)
  • Both hosts ultimately agree they’d risk haunting over lifelong paranoia from a supposed curse, setting up the story’s psychological undertones.

3. Introduction to the Case

• Setting: 1920s rural York County, PA—a community with deep German immigrant roots, where Christian faith and folk magic (Braucherei) coexisted.
• Victim: Nelson Rehmeyer, a respected and reclusive “hexenmeister” (folk healer).
• Murderers: John Blymire (33), his accomplices Wilbert Hess (18), and John Curry (14), all locals deeply entrenched in folk magic beliefs.

4. Background: Witchcraft & Folk Healing

• Braucherei: An old form of Pennsylvanian German folk magic, blending Christianity, ritual, charms, and incantations.
  • “Brahorai was a mixture of scripture, charms, rituals and incantations used for healing, protection and banishing evil. It was faith in action.” – Sabrina (15:08)
• Community Division: Some viewed practitioners like Nelson as healers; others saw potential for evil or “hex doctors.”

5. John Blymire’s Spiral into Fear

• Blymire’s life was plagued by illness, failure, grief, and psychiatric hospitalization.
  • “John Blymire is sus. He apparently tried to kill his wife, and he was arrested.” – Sabrina (20:15)
• Desperate for answers, John sought help from various healers and was told repeatedly that he was cursed.

6. The River Witch of Marietta & The Revelation

• Emma Noll (the River Witch), an elderly and feared local Braucherei, gives John an “answer” using a ritual with a dollar bill—convincing him that Nelson Rehmeyer placed the hex.
  • “Her human name was Emma Noel... He swears he sees the face of a man. Man, but not just any man. He sees without a doubt a familiar face. That of Nelson Rehmeyer.” – Corinne (25:14)

7. Building a Deadly Plan

• Emma prescribes two options: bury a lock of Nelson’s hair or burn his copy of the Braucherei bible “The Long Lost Friend” to lift the curse.
• Blymire, now obsessed with this solution, recruits Wilbert Hess and John Curry, misled by their own struggles and superstitions.
• The trio’s initial intent is nonviolent but fueled by escalating fear and delusion.

8. The Murder of Nelson Rehmeyer

• The men, welcomed into Nelson’s home and even invited to stay the night, become violent the next evening after failing to secure hair or the book.
• The attack turns frenzied and brutal—blows to the head, ligature strangulation, and a botched attempt to burn the body and house.
  • “He gets his pocketbook and he gives it to them... But it's too late. John is growing more and more furious by the minute.” – Corinne (37:17)
  • “He grabbed the remaining piece of rope, tied it into a noose and placed it around Nelson's neck. And then he told John Curry to choke Nelson…” – Corinne (38:23)

9. The Aftermath & Trial

• The murder is quickly discovered when the burning fails and neighbors find Nelson’s body.
  • “So bizarre...the fire they had started in Nelson's house had gone out quickly.” – Sabrina (45:49)
• Hess confesses almost immediately, wracked by guilt.
  • “He told his mother, his brother and his sister in law all about the murder…” – Corinne (45:14)
• All three are arrested; the town and press are shocked by both the violence and the motive—belief in witchcraft.
• At trial, Blymire is depicted as delusional; Curry and Hess as manipulated children. All are convicted but eventually released early.

10. Legacy & Supernatural Legend

• Urban Legend: The murder site becomes “Hex Hollow,” known for tales of hauntings, cursed land, and supernatural occurrences.
  • “Locals say that the place is cursed. It is a place where the devil walks. And some say that if you visit the Hex Hollow farmhouse on Halloween night and perform a ritual, the ground will split open to hell.” – Sabrina (54:36)
• Unanswered Mysteries:
  • Who or what was the shadowy presence seen by the killers outside the burning house?
  • Was the fire’s failure the result of Nelson’s own folk incantations, preserving evidence for justice?
    • “There is a incantation, a ritual that you can speak…in the long lost friend…to extinguish fire with just words. So was his final act…to utter these words, extinguish the fire so that his murder would be solved? …That's my theory, but we don't know for sure.” – Sabrina (56:00)

11. Reflections on Motive, Mental Health & Influence

• The hosts reflect on the tragedy as a collision of belief, mental illness, and communal fear, emphasizing how unchecked superstition and persuasive manipulation can have devastating outcomes.
  • “There are no limits to what can motivate murder. Anything can be twisted by fear. And when superstition becomes stronger than reason, even the unthinkable can be justified.” – Corinne (10:35)
  • “All of this comes down to mental…We can convince ourselves…the power of thought. And there's so much that…yeah, we can convince ourselves of things.” – Sabrina (52:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Would you rather live your whole life convinced that you've been cursed? Or…spend the night inside a haunted house…?” – Corinne (04:47)
• “He swears he sees the face…of Nelson Rehmeyer.” – Corinne (25:14)
• “John blimy rushes Nelson. He throws his arms around him and shouts for the other two boys to come help…" – Sabrina (36:43)
• “It was as if this old curse had been replaced with a new one. And this new one was the form of guilt…” – Corinne (44:49)
• “All they needed was a lock of his hair and maybe his book…But that is not how this story ends…they took a man's life and there's nothing supernatural about that.” – Corinne (56:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Crossover Announcement: 01:38–03:48
• Would You Rather Game: 04:22–05:57
• Case Introduction & Historical Background: 06:43–13:52
• Explaining Braucherei and Witchcraft in PA: 14:38–18:20
• John Blymire’s Story: 18:20–21:11
• Meeting The River Witch – Ritual & Revelation: 21:55–28:24
• Recruiting Accomplices: 28:47–31:33
• First Visit to Nelson’s Farm: 32:27–34:42
• The Murder: 35:03–39:11
• Aftermath, Confessions, and Arrests: 41:41–46:33
• Trial and Sentencing: 49:14–51:40
• Paranormal Theories, Urban Legends: 54:36–56:38
• Reflections & Wrap-Up: 56:38–57:20

Conclusion

Corinne and Sabrina revisit Hex Hollow as both a lurid true crime and a cultural cautionary tale about the dangers of superstition, groupthink, and mental health stigmas. Their signature blend of research, banter, and reverence for the eerie brings to life both the tragedy of Nelson Rehmeyer and the haunted legend that lingers in rural Pennsylvania.

Listener Invitation:
“If you've been to the Hex Hollow and experienced anything paranormal or what your urban legends are…we are so curious.” – Sabrina (57:12)

Note:
This summary skips over ads, promos, and outro sections to focus entirely on the episode’s content. The tone follows the hosts’ style: conversational, spooky, and reflective.